Words of the Wastes
by Cottonheadninnymuggins
Summary: You've uncovered a journal, containing a collection of poems inspired by Fallout, the Wasteland and the lessons that the apocalypse can teach us. Created from the point of view of my OC, a settler named Misty who's lost everything except her younger brother, and her desire to write.
1. To Whom It May Concern

**To whoever finds this journal:**

My name is Misty, and I live in the Commonwealth of the year 2287. If you're reading this, you're either Archie (in which case, get your nose out of my business!), or I'm dead and you've found this under my bed. Welp, sucks to be me.

If you're the one that killed me, then here's a really spooky "fuck you" from beyond the grave. If you're a scavver like me though, then Godspeed, my friend. I hope you have it better than I did.

I'm not the best poet, and I don't pretend to be. This journal was written to help cope with the loss of someone very close to me. I may interject at the end of poems with ((double brackets)), but don't mind those too much, just think of them as little extras.

Oh, and if you're not the artsy type, feel free to use this journal as fuel for a fire or something. Not like my corpse will care that much.

 _~ Misty_

 _x_


	2. Haiku - Respite

I rest with a sigh,

Peace is a rare luxury,

How long will it last?


	3. Rhyme - The Nature of the Wastes

Vertibirds soar in the sky,

Everyday is do or die,

The Raiders rob as the farmers cry:

"It's the nature of the Wastes"

* * *

Your son replaced by a bot,

Your best friend just got shot,

Think it's tragic? It's really not.

It's the nature of the wastes

* * *

The cruel Mutants with a sneer,

Laughing as they hear,

Victims scream in fear.

It's the nature of the Wastes

* * *

Apathy rules the day,

Stranger's back to stranger, it's our way,

Our humanity's run astray,

It's the nature of the Wastes.

* * *

And there's nothing really more,

That this poet does abhore,

Than those too stubborn to open their door.

But that's the nature of the Wastes.


	4. Couplets - Your Button Nose

Your button nose, your rosy cheeks,

The spark in your eyes when somebody speaks,

Your kindly tone, your loyal ways,

The conversations that could last for days.

Your smiling lips, your caring eyes,

The determination, give it a thousand tries,

Your understanding tone, your comforting talk,

The little spring in your step as you walk.

Your delicate gaze, your pretty gold ring,

The flutter in your voice whenever you sing,

The joy that you held, the smiles you brought,

And yet they shot you with no second thought.


	5. Free Verse - The Morning Sun

The ferals stir, as usual, at the break of summer sun. Their throaty growls echo around the empty streets of Boston.

The Raiders begin to wake, their nightmares called memories soothed and forgotten thanks to the fresh air and sunlight.

Ragged men and women throw themselves to their knees, thanking Atom for yet another day bestowed upon them.

The simple farmer's eyelids flicker and twitch, opening with a smile as he steps from his bed, ready to face whatever the Wastes throw at him next.

Even the mighty behemoth wakes with a grumble, rattling and shaking the ground as it slowly clambers to its feet.

All throughout the Commonwealth, just for a split second, everything seems so… tranquil, as the sun rises above us all.

 _((Yeah, maybe this one's a bit crap. I was bored, alright? ~Misty))_


	6. Limerick - Burt

There was an old Raider called Burt,

His crew tried to rip off my skirt.

Now that wasn't fun,

So I pulled out my gun,

And taught them the meaning of 'hurt'.

 _((Okay, so maybe his name wasn't Burt. But the story is true. Raider bastards._ _~ Misty))_


	7. Acrostic - The Wasteland is BRAHMIN

Blood,

Radiation

And

Heinous

Murder

Intertwine

Nicely _((Sarcasm. Do I need to explain? ~Misty))_


	8. Journal Entry - Seafood Tonight

I swear, I made an acrostic poem about Brahmin just because I'm SO DAMN TIRED OF MIRELURK! It's seafood every day seeing as we're settled practically on the beach, and the sand is perfect for these damned crabs to nest. Sure, I guess it's some justice to kill them after they killed mom, but justice doesn't satisfy my tastebuds. What I wouldn't give for a good Brahmin steak… hell, even for some pre-war tinned crap! But no, it's seafood tonight, like always. Archie's gonna be thrilled. I wish I could treat him to something, he's been so down lately. And with good reason, I might add. But I have to stay strong. For him.

 _~ Misty_

 _x_


	9. Haiku - The Darkest Times

My mother once said:

"The darkest times pass as well."

I wish she were here.


	10. Limerick - Inside

I take everything in my stride,

For Archie I flow with the tide,

There's just no way out,

I can't scream, I can't shout,

So I'm silently dying inside


	11. Haiku - Realize

It took a few nukes,

And yet people still don't know,

Fighting helps no one.


	12. Song - Old Bessy

_((I was thinking a kinda country, Westen feel to this, right? Just a bit of fun, if I actually had a Brahmin, I'd probably be more responsible with it))_

 _Misty_

 _x_

 **Old Bessy**

 **Waster Records, Artist: Misty**

I just killed old Bessy,

I had to put her down,

Her grunts and groans caused me to moan,

She attracted ghouls from town.

* * *

Now I don't need to tell ya,

how bad those ferals can be,

With their rotten teeth and rotten brains,

Yeah it was plain to see:

* * *

-Chorus -

I had to stab her, shoot her, all around just boot her,

It hurt me so greatly,

It was painless, though heinous, my shotgun's kinda aimless,

She was no good to me.

* * *

I know you prob'ly think it's horrid,

but I'm not up for debate,

Even if you do, you can't really argue,

Brahmin meat tastes great…

* * *

I told my bro the news,

Once I'd sat him down,

He looked at me all cross,

Before giving me a frown.

* * *

Yeah Archie's kinda pissed,

I don't blame him, not I,

But the risks we take weren't worth the stakes,

Old Bessy had to die.

* * *

(Chorus x2)

Yeah…. Brahmin meat tastes great.


	13. Journal Entry - Archie's Ill

Archie's not feeling so good, and of course when he gets down in the dumps, so do I. I mean, I don't expect him to just kick the ass of every bout of cold he gets within a day, but would it kill him to smile for a little bit? I haven't seen him smile since mo- forever.

He's a tough kid. Lord knows, he's been through so much, and he's so young. And that's without him even knowing about what happened to everyone else. We're the only family we have left for each other now, even if he doesn't know it. Maybe we should head over to Goodneighbour one day. Once Arch has his strength back, of course. The people there aren't as legitimate or welcoming as the Great Green Jewel, but I told Archie that some of the family is in Diamond City, so he'd just spend all his time looking for them. Though, I got this sneaking suspicion that he knows more than he lets on.

Venting onto a diary journal is working pretty well for me to deal with it all. Maybe I should get him one, too.


	14. Haiku - Crystals

Crystals in the air,

Where others see it as rain.

Gloom's quiet beauty

 _((Everything can be beautiful if you look at it in the right way. - Misty))_


	15. Free Verse - To The Feral Next Door

I stare at your soulless eyes,

The rotten wrinkles of your skin,

I hear the animalistic growl that you make,

I see the edges of your claws glint in the sunlight.

I smell the flesh literally rotting from your skin.

I know you wouldn't hesitate to kill me if you saw me, too. You're an animal, a monster, a freak.

And yet, I swear, I still see that look in your eyes sometimes.

There's still a person, somewhere inside that husk of yours.

Radiation rots, makes your memories fade. But it hasn't taken all of you.


	16. Couplets - The Fall of the Fort

A thundering roar, the ground itself shook,

The scavvers try to arm themselves, blades and guns they took.

Some gunners on the wall, while the melee men stood ready,

But when it came out of the forest, they could hardly be less steady.

An ominous green light, shining ever so bright,

A couple men had ran, they lost the will to fight.

And I can hardly blame them, I shook at what I saw:

The majesty and terror of a giant, glowing Deathclaw.

* * *

Bullets rained from the battlements, the beast seemed rather fraught,

"We must be safe, it cowers away", at least that's what I thought.

But I couldn't be more wrong, and for that I payed the price,

When the beast did stand upright, turning my blood to ice.

It uttered another roar, before it began to pick up speed,

We just stayed in position, followed the General's lead.

But the General was a fool, he thought the Deathclaw weak,

But it took the hits and reached the wall, uttering a deafening shriek.

The height was our advantage, but it wasn't so for long,

As the Deathclaw scaled the wall, I saw we'd done so many things wrong.

* * *

The others were all grouped up, shooting in a pack,

With a swish of its hand it took so many lives, into flesh its claws did hack.

The tail whirled round and swept them, off the castle wall,

Most were knocked out cold, or killed off by the fall.

I had the knowledge to fall back, the General's tactics had been crude,

And as I ran I saw my allies become the great beast's food.

Now I'm not proud of what I did, but it's what kept me in one piece,

I knew Deathclaws were deadly, I knew they wouldn't cease.

I ducked into the building, and out of the beast's sight,

I couldn't see but I could hear as it continued the fight.

* * *

I figured that I'd wait there until the beast just went away.

"Misty, you're a coward!" was what I heard the General say.

But then there was a scream, before a sickly crack,

As the honour-bound madman, had teeth tear through his back.

I could still hear his soft whimpering, as there was another horrid bite,

But I could do nothing, I just had to hold tight.

I was in the fort with a deathclaw, and only one door to leave through,

I couldn't end up as fodder, my desperation grew.

I'd have to sneak over to it, and I'd have to not be caught,

At least Deathclaws weren't too observant. Or, that was what I thought.

* * *

 _((Disclaimer: This didn't actually happen, you may be surprised to know. After all, Deathclaws don't come this far North anyway... Right?_

 _Might write a sequel to this at some point, I figured it was long enough to cut off now though.))_

 _~ Misty_

 _x_


	17. Free Verse- Summer Ball

Hold me in your arms, like you did in the summer ball,

There's nothing to do, nothing to say,

Except the words "I love you."

The bright light has spoken, though I don't yet hear his voice.

It seems that our time is up.

* * *

You couldn't have done anything better, you are perfect to me,

But time is out of our hands, cruelly beyond our grasp,

And instead, the life we planned has been cancelled with the push of a button.

* * *

Could they have done more about it? Perhaps.

Should we have signed up when we had the chance? Definitely.

But "what if" is the worst question we could ask.

Just focus on our heartbeats.

* * *

The world is cruel, it always has been,

Perhaps, in a twisted way, it will be better off after all this.

We always said how we wanted to change the world, didn't we?

Well, you changed mine, and that's all I care about.

* * *

So hold me in your arms, like you did in the summer ball,

We can pull close to each other, your warmth is beyond any bomb's.

Ignore the cries and the screams, they're of loneliness, not fear,

We'll always have each other, our final moment can last forever.

* * *

 _((Phew, that took a while to write. Saw this couple of skeletons kinda hugging each other when I looted a house, knew I had to write about because, well, it's kinda beautiful.))_

 _~ Misty_

 _x_


	18. Couplets - Blank Canvas

She stares at her paper: the blank canvas pure white,

Wanting to paint a picture with words, but can't find the ones that are right.

Until something draws her eyes away, a shaft of morning light,

The dawn of a day in Boston, a haunting, beautiful sight.

* * *

"The city's like a blank canvas," she mumbled deep in thought,

"It's ripe for change at any date, if only change were sought."

Her mind was full of optimism, just like her mama taught,

More right than she knew, she saw the bombs fall, the radioactive sort.

* * *

Now there's blood and there's disorder, the city's chaos and confusion,

And because I dare to dream big, people accuse me of delusion.

* * *

The city's still a blank canvas, any idealist can tell,

Find the right words, do the right work, it doesn't have to be Hell.

When we create things with our words, and not destroy with shotgun shell,

We'll paint up a brand new era, one of peace after the bombs fell.


	19. Rhyme - Alone

Take me away,

On a beaming summer's day,

I want to hear you say,

"We're finally alone"

* * *

We'll watch stars in the night,

Such a beautiful sight,

And we wake in morning light,

With you, I'm never alone

* * *

Not a superman, not divine,

No one's perfect, and that's fine,

But you're a hero, and you're mine,

We'll never be alone.

* * *

The gentle softness of your hair,

The purest beauty in your stare,

Oh, I've not a single care,

Except, now I feel alone

* * *

Your brothers go to war,

Die on foreign shore,

You were fit, you joined a tour,

You left me all alone.

* * *

And now on the last day,

I wish you'd chose to stay,

Instead, you're far away,

I don't want to die alone.

* * *

 _((Us simple settlers, we risk losing someone every waking moment, and that fucking terrifies me. Treasure the time you have with your loved ones, no matter who you are.))_

 _~ Misty_

 _x_


	20. Rhyme - Complain

Complain about the safety,

But you can't fire some guns,

Complain about resources,

But refuse to join supply runs.

* * *

Complain about your hunger,

When you hog all the food,

Complain you're getting picked on,

When you're the one that's rude.

* * *

Complain about respect,

But you give none in return,

Complain about not being helped,

When you'd watch your allies burn.

* * *

Complain about unity,

When you're trying to pick a fight,

Complain about the slackers,

You spend hours high as a kite.

* * *

Complain about our honour,

No depths to which you won't stoop,

Complain about being kicked out,

When you're a cancer to our group.

 _((Had a guy like this in my old settlement before it… suffered the same fate that they all do. He was an asshole, so we kicked him up the asshole and onto the curb. That was a fucking good day.))_

~ Misty

x


	21. Free Verse - Soldier's Sigh

"Onwards!" he ordered, and onwards they went,

Lyons' legions stretched far and wide, but funnelled through the space of a door.

Patriotic tear in their eyes, for honour, for humanity,

They would do the Elder's bidding.

* * *

Little did they know, beyond the threshold, the scouts had overlooked.

A back entrance, where the brutes had planned,

To surprise their numbers with numbers,

Greenskins with weapons beyond expected.

* * *

Machine guns, Gatlings, missiles and mininukes,

Open season on the smallest slither of Brotherhood streaming through.

No time to turn or call to stop, they could only push forth,

Scattering like broken glass, perhaps if they spread, some could survive.

* * *

"Onwards!" they ordered, but nowhere did they go,

Except towards the floor, riddled with death,

Patriotic tears, turned to streams of fear,

"Ad Victoriam!" The soldiers sighed. The bodies began to mount atop each other.

* * *

But numbers would beat numbers, after hours they would push through,

Clambering atop their dead brothers, they stumbled beyond enemy lines.

Breaking through and winning the day,

Wading through pools of shell shock and blood.

* * *

At the end, the Elders claimed their prize:

A car-sized machine, that didn't even work.

The Proctor promises it will be fixed any time soon,

But that's to keep the soldiers happy.

* * *

Dropping like flies for a hopeless cause,

Death and scarring for nothing more that a rumour.

They talk of how the Brotherhood is "honourable" and "noble,"

But I know of a few hundred corpses who would beg to disagree


	22. Haiku Dump - The Sea Monster

_((I'm a sucker for conspiracies and urban legends, especially ones like Dunwich Borers. There's been like a hundred sightings of a giant "sea monster" off the coast of the Commonwealth, so I got to work and wrote up some haikus about it.))_

 _~ Misty_

 _x_

* * *

Springing from the depths,

It pounces on its victim,

Then sinks without trace.

* * *

From the horizon,

The ocean stretches too wide,

To not hide secrets.

* * *

Ripples in the waves,

Might be imagination...

But, was something there?

* * *

Local legends warn,

To stay clear of deep water,

For the beast lurks there.

* * *

Silver-backed monster,

The sightings too numerous,

To be called a hoax.


	23. Journal Entry - Goodneighbour

Archie got worse pretty much overnight, so I did what I had to. I carried him over to Goodneighbour to get proper medical attention, and now I think we're gonna have to stay for a while. Goodneighbour is shit. Like, I'm not saying the family shack is any better, but sleeping in a crappy little tent on a sleeping bag isn't good for my back, and especially not good for Archie in his condition.

The local doc gave me some drugs for him in return for the last few caps I have, so now it looks like I'm going to have to start working in this shithole to keep the medical care up. Still, Archie seems a little better, and that's what really matters. He's the only thing I keep living for. I can't let my little brother be alone in a place like the Commonwealth.

And so, we're sticking around for a little while in this place, until Archie gets better. I've been booked in to talk with Mayor Hancock tomorrow, so hopefully I'll get a running job. As soon as little bro gets better, though, we're getting the hell out of Dodge. This place wasn't what I thought it was.

 _~ Misty_

 _x_


	24. Couplets - How

"How," I ponder quietly, I lift my head up high,

Looking down at ant-like roads, from my spot amongst the sky,

Awaking without memory on a roof higher than the rest,

Against the edge, nearly slipping off, my heart pounds in my chest,

I scramble back, then peer straight down, a haunting sight to see,

From far above in cloudless air, I look upon the city,

It's deathly quiet - that makes a change - but I miss the noise, in a way,

The streets seem still from here almost, because I'm far away,

But I must go home, there's no food here, and I'm hankering to sup,

As I look around, I pull a frown, and here's where the question comes up,

"How" I wonder softly, without a ladder anywhere near,

Not a lift and not a doorway…

"How the fuck did I get here?"


	25. Free Verse - Can a Robot?

Can a robot feel like a man?

His countenance suggests they do

Scorched, scratched metal shows more kindness

Than the face of the faceless

Who would take my life for caps.

Can a robot think like a man?

His words show that it's true

Diplomacy and adaptability,

While some men would rather be stubborn.

Can a robot bond like a man?

He's been waiting for centuries

Trimming hedges long dead and holding hope long past

While the dogs of Libertina would turn on one another in seconds

So should I be asking if a robot can be like a man

When man cannot even be humane?

We have savagery, evil, malice, so I must ask:

Can a man be like a robot?


	26. Free Verse - Injection

Everyone's got their kicks,

I get mine from injection.

It's hard not to when there's so much of it,

Littered about the land.

Everyone's got their weaknesses,

I get mine from injection.

From the highest high to the lowest low,

I crash when there's none left to take.

Everyone's got their strengths,

I get mine from injection.

I can't leave the house without stock,

No more than I could dive without an oxygen tank.

Everyone's got their lives,

I'll lose mine to injection.

A little too much, and the next hit is the last.

But I can't say I'd regret it.


	27. Couplets - Poet's Block

Couplets, couplets, where do I even start?

Brainstorm, brainstorm, I think with mind and heart.

* * *

Writing, writing, I don't even have a reason,

Desperate, desperate, should I talk about a season?

* * *

Tiresome, tiresome, I force myself to scrawl,

Hoping, hoping, this means something at all.

* * *

Aching, aching, my heart yearns for expression,

Erasing, erasing, this is a stupid, pointless session.

* * *

Thinking, thinking… Now, what rhymes with orange?

…

… ah, crap.

* * *

 _((Writer's - uh - Poet's block is painful. Ah well, this is why I have a journal! I can scribble whatever crap I want!))_

 _~ Misty_

 _x_


	28. Free Verse - The Lone Scientist

My theatre springs into life.

The pops of flickering lights,

The creeks of turning cogs

The hum of nuclear energy.

* * *

I sweep down the breaker switch with a malicious smirk,

The energy courses through the walls.

My maniacal laugh echoes above the cracks of AC flow…

And yet my heart is hollow.

* * *

I turn from the test, my eyes dulling and drooping,

As I look to an empty chair in the corner.

I pull the breaker back up, the cacophony of noise dies down.

Where's the point in a theatre if there's no audience to watch it?

* * *

The pain of loss isn't objective.

There's no numbers, no data, no ruleset.

All I know is, since you left me alone,

I'm the loneliest I've ever been.

* * *

It's hard to admit it,

But I miss you.

I could never have told you,

So wrapped up in grandeur and ambition.

* * *

My theatre is a shell, its playwright a husk,

Where's the point in research when there's no reward?

There's not a laugh, a holler, not a word of appreciation.

Success or fail, it amounts to silence.

* * *

So my theatre falls silent one final time,

There's nothing for me here, except memories.

And really, I'd rather forget them.

But I could never forget you.

* * *

 _((Phew, I'm hooked on these free verse poems, hah. I stumbled across this lonely little lab under the old General Atomics factory. The loot was worth a ton, but there weren't any signs of life, barring a few packets and cups in the console room. It inspired me to think of who could have possibly been here.))_

 _~Misty_

 _x_


	29. Rhyme - To The Corse On My Doorstep

Was it peaceful or with intent?

When you came onto my land.

Did you wander, were you sent?

With a gun held in your hand.

* * *

I couldn't take the odds there,

You could've been a Raider.

A chemhead without care,

For the life of a simple trader.

* * *

Were you a bloodthirsty brute?

Here to gun me down in haste?

Then I simply had to shoot,

That's the nature of the Wastes.

* * *

Maybe you're a man who cared?

A brother, father, Dad.

I didn't think, I was scared!

The guilt could drive me mad.

* * *

What were you even doing here?

Were you looking for supplies?

Does your family live so near,

They could hear your final cries?

* * *

I'm sorry. I'm really sorry!

A chill runs down my spine.

Your daughter starts to worry,

Her mother says that you're alright…

* * *

But she's worried too, she just can't say.

Did your luck finally run out on this fateful day?

* * *

"I'll be just fine,"

With a smile you said

But it's the end of the line

I just shot a father d-dea…

* * *

… No. While my head and thoughts spun,

I lost sight of what's really true.

You were a lone man with a raised gun,

I was a scared girl, so I shot you.

* * *

You're a raider, some scum,

Nothing but a knave.

But I wonder, behind a gulp of rum,

Why am I digging you a grave?

* * *

...

The truth is I never knew you.

And now I never will.

* * *

((I wish this was inspired by something, anything other than true events. At least it gets the guilt off my chest and onto the paper. I can glance up and see his grave out of the very window I sit at. If you're still around my house after picking up this book... don't disturb his rest.))

~ Misty


End file.
